Report
Ottawa, ON Real Estate Investment Report — April 2026
Is Ottawa a good place to invest in real estate? April 2026 report: 3.6% gross yield, 1.4% net yield, 2085 listings analyzed. Complete Ottawa, Ontario investment analysis with CMHC rents, pricing trends, and strategy recommendations for Canadian real estate investors.
Market Overview
Ottawa, Ontario is Canada's #6 largest market by population. This April 2026 report aggregates live MLS listing data from the CREA DDF feed, CMHC rent benchmarks, and community-sourced deal analysis from the Realist.ca platform.
We analyzed 2085 active investment-grade listings in Ottawa this month.
Investment Yields
Ottawa is currently in typical for appreciation-focused strategies with an average gross yield of 3.6% and a net yield of 1.4%.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Avg Gross Yield | 3.6% |
| Median Gross Yield | 3.5% |
| Avg Net Yield | 1.4% |
| Active Listings | 2085 |
Pricing & Inventory
The mid-range Ottawa market has an average listing price of $804,784 (median: $655,000), with an average price per square foot of $148,641/sqft.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Average List Price | $804,784 |
| Median List Price | $655,000 |
| Avg Price/Sqft | $148,641 |
| Avg Days on Market | 35 days |
| Avg Bedrooms/Listing | 3.1 |
| Avg Rent/Unit (Est.) | $1,848/mo |
CMHC Rent Benchmarks
Official CMHC average rents for Ottawa provide the baseline for yield calculations and rent gap analysis:
| Unit Type | Avg Monthly Rent |
|---|---|
| Bachelor | $1,100/mo |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,350/mo |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,700/mo |
| 3 Bedroom | $2,000/mo |
Investment Strategy Considerations
Based on the current data, investors looking at Ottawa should consider:
- Airbnb/short-term rental where permitted
- Multiplex conversion or suite addition
Use the Realist.ca Deal Analyzer to run detailed underwriting on any Ottawa property, including multi-year projections, stress testing, and strategy comparison.
Is Ottawa a Good Real Estate Investment Market in 2026?
Ottawa is currently appreciation-driven market, a premium market favouring well-capitalized investors. With a gross rental yield of 3.6% — below-average for income-focused strategies — Ottawa appeals primarily to investors seeking long-term capital appreciation. The median listing price of $655,000 positions it as a premium market requiring significant capital or creative financing.
Properties in Ottawa spend an average of 35 days on market before selling. The market moves at a healthy pace, giving investors reasonable time to conduct due diligence while still reflecting strong demand.
On the rental side, Ottawa features solid mid-market rents that can pencil out with conservative underwriting. A typical 2-bedroom unit rents for approximately $1,700/month according to CMHC benchmarks — a critical input for any buy-and-hold analysis.
Who Should Invest in Ottawa Real Estate?
Based on the current April 2026 data, Ottawa is particularly well-suited for:
- Equity-rich investors repositioning capital from primary markets
- Developers and land assemblers targeting rezoning upside
- Anyone comparing the best cities to invest in real estate in Ontario
How Ottawa Compares to Other Canadian Markets
Compared to Toronto, Ottawa offers similar pricing but different fundamentals.
For a detailed city-vs-city comparison including yield maps and historical trends, visit the Monthly Market Report dashboard on Realist.ca.
Methodology
This report is generated using data from the following sources:
- CREA DDF — Live MLS listing data including prices, property details, and days on market
- CMHC — Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation average rent benchmarks by city and unit type
- Realist.ca Community — Aggregated deal analysis metrics from the investor community
Net yields are calculated using standardized expense assumptions: 5% vacancy, 8% property management, 5% maintenance, and 0.3% insurance rate. Actual returns may vary based on property-specific conditions.
Past Reports & Related Resources
This report is part of the Realist.ca Monthly Market Report series covering 30 Canadian cities. Browse the full archive of past reports in the Blog & Research section, or explore the interactive Market Report Dashboard for city-by-city comparisons.
Related tools: Deal Analyzer · Distress Deals Browser · Monthly Distress Report · Cap Rates Explorer